Northeastern Tech partnership establishes fund for aspiring entrepreneurs

A creative partnership between Northeastern Technical College and a local Chesterfield entrepreneur has set the foundation for future entrepreneurs and business growth in Chesterfield, Marlboro and Dillon counties.

Grants will be awarded to a current NETC student or NETC alumnus ready to begin a business venture or needing assistance with an existing business.

Individuals who qualify and receive the grant will be awarded start-up money and will also receive counseling from experts in accounting, marketing, legal work, human resources and other areas needed to operate a successful business.

"We are excited to join Continuum in this venture to assist promising entrepreneurs in reaching their full potential," Dr. Ron Bartley, president of NETC, said. "Continuum’s generous donation of $25,000 is just the beginning. We know there are other groups and organizations in our three-county service area that embody this same spirit for community and will help grow the Entrepreneurship Development Fund with their additional contributions."

Turley, who is from Killingworth, Conn., made his way to Chesterfield County in search of a future retirement home where he could enjoy a warmer climate and affordable land to establish a horse farm. He built his farm, Southern 8ths, in the Wexford Community of Chesterfield.

Turley said he initially had no intention of expanding his business in South Carolina until a chance visit between him and Kim Burch, existing business and industry coordinator for Chesterfield County, in a small family cemetery located on Turley’s farm. She came by to see the progress he was making on cleaning up the cemetery, which led to a discussion that resulted in a NETC training program, the expansion of his business and now the creation of the NETC Entrepreneurship Development Fund.

Economic development officials and NETC jointly proposed a program to allow Continuum to train new programmers at the College in return for bringing new programming jobs to the area. In conjunction with readySC™, the team developed a 15-week training program to meet the company’s needs. A group of NETC students, alumni and employees began the rigorous program, and nine were eventually hired after completing the training.

"Continuum opening a branch office in Cheraw is a story of success in rural South Carolina – and a perfect example of different groups within our community who had the foresight and energy to propose, recruit and convince a new arrival in town to expand his business in this area," Bartley said. "We envision the Entrepreneurship Development Fund creating more success stories within our communities."

Continuum Performance Systems, Inc., a Connecticut based software company that provides software to health insurance companies, established the NETC Entrepreneurship Development Fund with a donation of $25,000.

"Continuum appreciates the effort that NETC, the Chesterfield County Economic Development Board and the state of South Carolina provided in helping it to open a new programming office in Cheraw in 2010," Continuum President Brad Turley said. "Continuum wants to return the favor and help other local entrepreneurs to follow their dreams of creating new companies and jobs in Chesterfield, Marlboro and Dillon counties."

The State Department of Commerce provided Continuum with a $25,000 grant to assist in the start-up of the Cheraw facility. Continuum has established the fund with the original state grant and is providing an additional $25,000 in matching funds to encourage other groups and organizations to contribute to the Entrepreneurship Development Fund.

"Northeastern Technical College, the county and the state went above and beyond for us, and it was very much appreciated – not just by me, but also by the people whose lives were changed by the jobs created here at Continuum," Turley said. "The Entrepreneurship Development Fund is our way of saying thanks and giving back to the community by helping others to build businesses that will create jobs."